Pneumatic cotton-gin.



/ Patented Oct. 8, 1918. a SHEETS-SHEET I.

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C. L. SAUNDERS.

PNEUMATIC COTTON GIN.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 13. |913.

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PNEUMATIC CUTTON GIN.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. I3. |913.

Patented 0ct.l8, 1918.

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APPLICATION FILED NOV- I3| ISIS.

Patented Oct. 8, 1918.

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PNEUMJATIC COTTON-GIN.

"Specicatinof Ltte'rsPatent.

ratcntedloct. s, 1918.

Application ined November 1a, 1913. seriai'i'ro. 800,783.

Toall fwhov'n t any concern: Y e

Be it knovvn'that 1, CEoiL L. SAUianERs, a citizen Qf the United` States, residing at Cleveland in the county of Cuyahoga land State of Ohio,yhave 'invented certain/ new and useful Improvements'win Pneumatic Cotton-Girls, of which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to a cotton-gin in which the separation of the jseeds from the fibers is effected combinationof pneumatic and mechanical devices. My device is an improvement on `the type of machine shown in U, S., Patent7No.-\849,141,.granted to Story AB. Ladd April2, y112107, in Whicha perforated roller is :provided vwith means for holding, by suctiomfthe fibers on its surface, vvhile the Aseeds held vfrein rotation With thecylinder bymeansofa fixed knifevblade; and in which .theibers held by "suctionto the surface ofthe cylinder, are carried partially around lthe circumference of the cylinder and then blown off by a blast'of air.

The ,present invention relates `to an improved apparatus for obtaining afmore complete removal of the fiber fromthe seeds and comprises means for positively moving the seeds with reference tothe surface of the suction roller means `for assistlngsuch removal by means of suction; means Vfor removing theflint cry-fiber from thesurface of the suction roller Withoutundue twisting or tangling of the fiber; als'opto other features which Will appear from the following specification and cl ai1 ns. l I

The present invention also includes -a seedboard or grating Yapplicable not only' to, the suction-rollertype ofxgin, but to saW-gins, this seed-board or grating having arranged in connection- `therewith a pneumatic suction or "blast 'which tendsV te forcenthe seeds' through thegratingian'd also to deliver-them to aconduit through `,vhichthey are conveyed to any suitable: place of collection 1n the aecompanyingdrawings Figure l is a longitudinal section through the machine Fig. 2 is a transverse sectionthrough the hopper; l y

zFigs. 3 andfl lare details illustrating the construction of various forms ofcylinder surfaces. 1

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of'a modifiedform of* machine 5 6 is a transverse section through the nil,v chine illustrated-in Fig. 5;

vvgig. 7 is a detail of the stripping-knife; an n Figs. 8 and Hare details showing the arrangements of theperforations in the suction cylinder. Referring to the drawings,fA is a perforated metal drumjournaled in standards 1,2 and .rovided with a -belt 4pulley 3. Mounteda ove the drum is a series 'of hoppers Extending into the bottom of the hOppeIsaIid adjacent to the exterior Vportion of the .drum A =is a screw-conveyer C, inclosed in a casing `D extending laterally from thefhopper. Partitions L may be arranged as shown, and cause the seed to be extruded through openings L', though these partitions -may be omitted, as pointed out ereinafter. Protruding into the space between the conveyer-casing and the drum'is an adjustable knife-blade orknocker E which 'extends the entire length of the conveyer. The conveyer is mounted on a shaft 4 driven in any suitable Lmanner. Mounted on brackets 5, 6 carried by standards 1, is a stationary division drum F having suitable partitions to divide the interior of drum Ajinto four sections, 1, 11,111, 1V. Section 1 is connected by conduit Gto a suction fan. Section 11, through a conduit H, is connected Ito a stronger suction device than that used for section 1, and section111, through conduit '11,-is' connected to a still morepowerful suction. Section 1 is connected by conduit K to Aa blast pump.y

The drum-surfaces corresponding to each suction section are covered vWith `material `suitable `for-the Work to be performed. Thus,

the surface of Asection 1 is preferably covered with a layer l0 of rubber or Walrus hideperforated to correspond toI the` perforations inthe drum A. The second section of the' drum A is roughened on its outer. surface, either by roughening the surfaces of the drum itself `(see Fig. 3) or by providing a coating-'12 of-rubber, leather, Walrus hide or other like material Which isroughened The Lthird section is covered with a coating of rubber, leather, Walrus hide or other like material, provided with teats or `projections with intermediate perforations, corresponding to those in the drum, which teats will be engaged by the blades ofthe conveyer and the end of the knocker-blade E, as shown in Fig. 2.

The material blown off from the several sections is collected in theseveral conduits 1a, 14, 15. f

As shown in Figs. 2 and 6, the division drum F may be provided with oppositelydirected extensions 20, 21, carrying flaps of leather or suitable material to limit the action of the suction or blast to the desired portions'of the drum and to prevent leakage from the blast to the suction chamber.

Inl order to insure a proper distribution of the blast, adjustable partitions P, P, P, may be inserted in the blast chamber 'to' d1- rect the proper volume of airinto each conduit.

The operation of thedevice is as follows:

The cotton to be cleaned is delivered into the hopper B, Aand passesl downward between the conveyer blades until it reaches the perforated surface of the drum. The light suction at this point holds the fibers while the seeds are carried by the rotation of the drum against the knoclrer blade E and are at ,the same time moved longitudinally by the blades ofthe conveyer. "The fibers are held both by frictional and pneu.- matic, engagement by the suction of the drum, so that most of the long fiber is removed from the seeds carried around by the drum and blown off by the blast into the conduit 15. 'Ihe seeds, with some lint still adhering to them, may be carried by the conveyer, when partitions L are omitted, from section T onto the roughened surface of section II and are there subjected to the action of Va stronger suction; asimilar operation being effected with still strongerl suction on section III, where the teats bent over by the action ofthe conveyer blades and knocker blade, entangle any remaining lint, which is blown oif thedrum by the blast into the appropriate conduit v13.

As the result of the continued frictional and suctional holding of the fibers andthe forcible movement of the seeds *by* the conveyer blades, the fibers are ipulled oif'from the seeds i'n a particularly e ective manner. By the combined action of the rotating drum and the longitudinal movement produced by the conveyer, the material is rapidly and continuously removed from the hopper, thereby providing a machine of large; capacity.

The seeds fed along the upper surface of the perforated drum by the conveyer are delivered through openings L into any suit able receptacle.

While I have described the apparatus as comprising a perforated cylinder, it will be apparent that any perforated surfacev such as that of amoving belt lor rotating disk, may similarly be provided, at different portions ofits surface, with dierentcharact'ers Lesoses of covering,-vvhich covering may be provided with teeth, bristles, pins or teats to assist theadhering-hold of the liber or lint to the surface, and it will also be apparent that the various suctions may be varied to suit the particular condition of the material being y acted on, in the course of its progress along or across the perforated moving surface from section to section.

It is further apparent that the relative positions of thepartscan be reversed, that is, the conveyerk may be located within the cylinder and the-suctions on `the outside.

' While I have described the drum as provided with three distinct characters of surface, the entire drum maybe provided with only onesuch prepared surface, and the relative arrangement of these surfaces may be varied tosuit the particular conditions. Y

A modiiied'form of apparatus `is shown in Figs.v 5 and 6, iny `which there is'arranged within the feed hopper a distributing roller or evener 30 provided with a plurality of projecting pins 31, the pins being arranged, if'desired, in spiral rows. rIhe ends of the pins are larranged in such proximity to the suction roller' A that they will positively'remove the' seeds from; thev adjustable knifeblade or knoclrer E."4 The casing 32 of the feed hopper 'hasa `grating 33 at one side thereof to permit seeds and other materials separated from the. cotton to pass therethrough. I also provide a grating 34 in close proximity to the knife E through which grating the separated seeds may pass. Beneath the grating isJ a seed conduit 35 and also a blast` chamber V36. This blast chamber has at the end near the grating an opening or series of Aopenings having their orifices directed insuch a manner as to cause a suction through 'the grating 34 and thus facilitatevthe passage of the seeds lthrough the gratingv into the seed conduit 35. AV passage'? may connect the blast chamber and seed conduit orthe seedconduit may have a separate blast supply'to deliver the seed therefrom to any suitable place of collection. The individual bars of the grating `may be hollow and provided with slots ontheir lower sides so that ywhen they are connected to the blast supply, the inwardly directed draft will further assist to pull the seeds through theV grating '34. Y Thismeans of removing seeds is applicable not'only to the particular pneumatic vgin of this application, butl to the seed boards of the ordinary saw and lroller gins.

.38` is a mote-board which serves to directaway from the cylinder any motes or other material which are found on the outer layer of the lint held by the suction to the perfo rated roll A.l 39 is a rubber stripping roll which moves the lint from the suction roll and delivers it to the belt 4 0. p

Fig. 7 shows a stripper knife E2 having a corrugated or waved edge, which is of advantage in that aglancing instead of a direct blow is given to the stripper knife.

The feeding cylinder and its cooperating revolving perforated cylinder may be mounted each on a horizontal axis; and when so mounted they may be arranged side by side or they may be mounted, either one above the other. The tvvo cylinders may also be mounted each on a vertical axis, or on axes slightly inclined to the vertical, and these upright positions are advantageous in that they permit the seeds to be somewhat more readily removed.

The operation of this form of device, like that of the form shown in Figs. l and 2, depends upon the retention by the suction through the perforated cylinder of the lint fibers on the surface of the cylinder while the seeds are separated from the bers by the action of the seed knife. In the present form of device, the seeds as they are pushed away from the surface of the cylinder are subjected to the suction produced by the air blast into the seed conduit, this suction being of material assistance in securing the prompt and rapid removal of the seeds from the edge of the stripper knife or knocker E. Any seeds Which may pass the grating 34 are carried around by the revolving pins 3l and may pass out through the supplementary grating 33.

It will be understood that the suction into the perforated cylinder A tends to hold the seeds on the edge of the stripper knife E but that by the .mechanical action of the pins 31 and the combined force of gravity and the suction into the seed conduit, this tendency is overcome.

IVhile I have shown only one feed hopper and stripper knife E associated with the perforated cylinder, I may use several of these agencies associated with the same cylinder, this use of several stripping devices being particularly facilitated by the arrangement of the rolls With their axes vertical.

The lint or liber sucked onto the perforated cylinder is advantageously removed by the stripping roller 39 which may be longitudinally corrugated, Without the use of an outwardly-directed blast from the inside of the roller, although such a blast may also be used if desired. By the use of the roller, the fibers which have been drawn out into parallel lines are removed Without material alteration of this parallelism, a feature of much importance, as thereby the fibers are, in subsequent milling operatons, more readily carded. As shown in Fig. 6, the blast chamber is retained Within the perforated cylinder, as this blast serves to clean the perforations. n

The arrangement of the perforations 1n the cylinder A in the manner shown 1n Figsb Wise be the case.

While I have shown a single cylinder With means of producing varying suctions from section to section, the same purpose Will be accomplished by a number of cylinders each having its specially prepared surface and necessary suction, the material being passed from one cylinder to next.

1. A cottonsgin comprising a perforated drum, a hopper located near one end of the drum, a screw-conveyer extending the length of and arranged in Working proximity to the perforated drum and into the hopper, and a knife-blade loca-ted adjacent the drum and conveyer for separating the cotton-seed from the fiber, and means for producing a suction through the drum.

2. A cotton gin comprising a perforated drum, means for producing different degrees of suction along said drum, a hopper located near one end of the drum, a screw-conveyer extending the length of and arranged in working proximity to the perforated drum and into the hopper, and a knife-blade located adjacent the drum and conveyer for separating the cotton-seed from the fiber, and means for producing a suction through the drum.

3. A cotton-gin comprising a perforated drum having its peripheral surface divided into sections the surfaces of which sections have different degrees of adherence for cotton fibers, and means for providing suctions of different strength for each section.

4. A cotton-gin comprising a perforated drum having its peripheral surface divided into sections the surfaces of which sections have different degrees of adherence for cotton fibers, and means for providing suctions of different strength for each section, a hopper located near the drum, a screw-conveyer extending the length of the perforated drum and into the hopper, and a knife-blade located adjacent the drum and conveyer for separating the cotton-seed from the fiber, and means for producing a suction through the drum. i

5. In a cotton-gin, a perforated suction cylinder, means for removing the seeds, and a mote-board out of contact with said cylinder and in position to disengage the motes from a layer of fiber on said cylinder.

6. A cotton-gin comprising a series of perforated drums, the surfaces of which have different degrees of adherence for cotton fibers and means for providing suctions of different strength for each drum, hoppers extending the length of ther perforated drums and provided With seed-removing means, knife-blades located adjacent the drums to separate the seed from the ber, gratings adjacent the seed knives, a conduit beneath the gratings, and means for produc- 10 ing a current of air through the gratings and in the conduits.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature n in presence of tvvo Witnesses.

CECILL. SAUNDERS.

Vitnesses Y DA MAE SMITH,` CHAs. R. BURGER.

Copies of thisk patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

